Despite their troubled start to their lockdown tour of the UAE, it has been confirmed Chennai Super Kings will still contest the opening game of the 2020 IPL.
MS Dhoni will lead out the three-time champions against the holders Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, September 19.
The announcement of the fixture list had been delayed until less than two weeks before the first game. It was understood the organisers were reassessing the schedule of games in response to the problems CSK had been facing since arrival in Dubai last month.
Most pressingly, 13 of their tour party had tested positive for Covid-19 during the last of their mandatory tests after six days of quarantine in country.
While news of those positive tests was leaking out, it also emerged Suresh Raina, CSK’s leading run scorer, had returned home to India, and would not play in the tournament.
To add to the problems, Harbhajan Singh, their veteran spin bowler, also announced he would not be travelling to the UAE for the tournament.
Even though the Covid-19 issue led to them delaying starting practice until two days ago, they will still begin the tournament on opening night, as had initially been the plan.
The fixture pits them into a rematch of last year’s final, which they lost on the last ball to Mumbai.
“We have a skipper [MS Dhoni] who has navigated us through very tough times,” KS Viswanathan, the CSK chief executive, said on the franchise’s social media stream.
“The players are in good spirits. We have had regular zoom meetings. The coaches and the captain have addressed the players. All of them are in a good frame of mind and we will come out of a tough situation.”
The schedule sees matches being played between the three venues, with 24 group matches set for Dubai International Stadium, 20 in Abu Dhabi, and 12 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Dubai will host the second game of when Delhi Capitals take on Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, September 20.
Sunrisers Hyderabad and Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore will meet at the same venue a day later, before the competition moves to Sharjah.
Rajasthan Royals will meet CSK at the UAE’s oldest venue on Tuesday September 22.
Over the course of the league phase of the competition, there will be 10 double-headers, with the opening matches starting at 2pm. Evening matches will begin at 6pm.
Kolkata Knight Riders will be the last side to start their campaign. The two sides in the competition who are based in Abu Dhabi will meet at the Zayed Cricket Stadium when KKR face Mumbai on Wednesday, September 23.
Kolkata will be hopeful they will be able to call on the services of Eoin Morgan by that point.
Morgan is still in the UK, captaining England in a limited overs series against Australia.
In the second T20 international of their series, he appeared to dislocate a finger on his right hand. However, he did return to play a full part in the game quickly after leaving the field for treatment.
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals announced their assistant physiotherapist had tested positive for Covid-19.
He was going through the mandatory six days of quarantine, and tested positive on his third test.
"He was yet to meet with, and had not been in contact with any players or staff of the franchise," the Capitals said in a statement.
"He was isolated immediately, and is currently at the IPL isolation facility in Dubai for the next 14 days, at the end of which he will have to produce two negative reports for him to be able to join the Delhi Capitals squad."
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